Machine for treating soles



Aug. 22,

O. H. OSBECK MACHINE FOR TREATING SOLES Original Filed Sept. 19, 1939 Sheets-Sheet l 1 [Illlllll Aug- 22, 1944- o. H. OSBECK MACHINE FOR TREATING SOLES original Filed sept. 19V, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 w M O m m 6 8 7 |\.!h\l 1|l|||| 7 Q a 8 4UM a e 4 Q. w l O O m n 7 mV k 4 w E v 9 mw 6 O O 3 3 9 4 3 M 4 M a 6 w p 4 l, 0 w.) w m i),'lll/111111111111111111111111.rlllllllh.

Aug. z2, 1944. A 0.14. QSBECK 2,356,344

MACHINE FOR TREATING SOLES Original Filed Sept. 19, 1939 5 She-efcs-Sheet 3 Aug. 22, 1944. Q HOsBECK 2,356,344

MACHINE FOR TREATING SOLES Original Filed Sept. 19, 1939 5 SheetsfSheet 4 Aug. 22, 1944. o. H. osBEcK MACHINE FOR TREATING SOLES Original Filed Sept. 19. 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 22, 1944 MACHINE FOR, TREATING SOLES Oscar Hugo Osbeck, Nahant, Mass., assignor to Prime Manufacturing Co., Lynn, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Original application September 19, 1939, Serial No. 295,629. Divided and this application April 24, 1941, Serial No. 390,131

(Cl. ill-43) 8 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of coating the marginal edges of blanks or pieces of sheet material, such as soles for shoes, with plastic material forming an ornamental and wear-resisting binding thereon. In one aspect the invention consists in an improved machine for applying a relatively narrow band of flexible lacquer to the edges of soles or similar articles.

Although my invention can be used to advantage in many fields, the most pressing problem which I have solved by my invention is that of successfully covering with a liquid plastic the raw edges of insoles used in open toe, open shank, or open heel shoes. In all such types of shoes portions of the upper are omitted, with the result that sections of the edges of the insoles are exposed to View. It has been the general practice to sew a ribbon binding of attractively colored cloth around the edge of an insole to be used in a shoe of this type, but this necessitates a sewing and fitting operation requiring considerable time and skill. Due to the sharp curves in the outline of most insoles, it has been found diilicult to sew a ribbon binding so that it will lie flat not only against the edge but also along the upper marginal face of the insole.

The most important object of my invention is to provide a machine which will cover the edge of an insole with a flexible material of attractive appearance, easily and inexpensively and in such manner that the covering material will be uniform and lie flat around the entire edge and margin of the insole.

Lacquer or other plastic binding has several advantages over a textile binding. In addition to providing a hard lustrous finish of pleasing appearance a plastic binder will fill cavities or flaws in the insole and also ll up the crack between the insole and any tuck or band which may be fastened to it. Furthermore the fluid binder enters the fibres of the sole making a firm bond therewith and will not chip or flake off. A textile edge strip is not suitable for cement shoes because the stitches attaching it may be broken during the roughing operation, whereas lacquer or other plastic binder can be roughed to make an effective bonding surface for cement for the outsole.

To apply coating material to an insole I have invented a machine for feeding an insole past the orifice of a nozzle to which lacquer is supplied under pressure, and an important feature of my invention resides in a valve regulating the supply of lacquer to the nozzle and controllably related to mechanism for stopping and starting the feeding of the insole. A further feature of my-invention consists in means for varying the pressure by which the lacquer is forced to the nozzle and thereby varying the thickness of the band of coating material or the rate at which it .constructed according to my invention,

Fig. 2 is a 4plan view of the machine,

Fig. 3 is a view in cross section through the pressure chamber, nozzle, and feeding mechanism,

Fig. 4 is a view in cross section along the line 4--4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a view in cross section along theline 5-5 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a View in cross section along the line '6-6 of Fig. 3,

Fig. '7 is a view in perspective of machine, V y

Fig. 8 is` a view in perspective ofA an insole to which a band of coating material has been apthe rear 'ofthe plied,

Fig. 9 is a view in cross section along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8,

Fig. 10 is a View inperspective of the nozzle head, and 1 Figs. 11 and 12 are views in detail of the vertical strip associated with the nozzle.

The machine illustrated in the drawings is arranged to treat an insole as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, where it will appear that a conventional insole H4 of leather or other suitable material is provided along its edge and adjacent marginal faces with a band H6 of flexible lacquer or other suitable coating material of a plastic nature. In the finished shoe, portions of the coated edge and upper marginal face of the insole will be visible. In practice a sock lining is usually cemented to the upper surface of the insole so that only a portion of the coating material applied to the upper margin of the insole will be visible.

In the illustrated machine a hollow upright frame l0 is supported by a base l2 having legs 4. On the back of the machine is a bracket I6` to which is secured a motor E 8 having a shaft 20 and a pulley 22. Through a belt 24 the motor drives a pulley 26 secured to the shaft 28 of an air pump 30 which is mounted above the motor 8 on a bracket 29. The pump 30 supplies cornepressed air to a pressure chamber 34 through a pressure line including a coiled discharge tube 32, as best shown in Fig. 7. The pressure chamber 34, herein shown as of rectangular shape, is preferably of heavy metal and is secured to one side of the frame I0. In the pressure line is a pressure gauge 36, and an adjustable safety valve 38 can be manipulated to maintain any desired pressure in the chamber 34.

A head 40 is secured to the top of the frame I and has an overhanging horizontal extension 43 from which projects a short upright column 42. The pressure chamber 34 is secured to and car... ried by the overhanging portion 43 of the head, a pressure tight gasket 4| being interposed between the two. At its front end the pressure chamber 34 is provided with a heavy door 4'4 slidably mounted in which is a horizontal bar 50 which can be moved in and out of engagement with an aperture formed in a heavy plate 48 secured to the side of the pressure chamber 34. A threaded bolt works in the sliding barl 58 and is actuated by a handle 52. When the bar 50 is in engagement with the aperture inthe plate 48, the handle 52 may be turned clockwise to force the door 44 into tight engagement with the end ofthe pressure chamber 34. AV gasket 45 is disposed' between the end of the pressure chamber 34 and the door 44 in order to effect a pressure tight joint when the door 44 is closed. At the rear of the pressure chamber 34 and Within the same is a ledge 54 which supports the rear end of a removable reservoir 5S in forwardly tilted position, as best shown in Fig; 6. The reservoir 56 is preferably of light metal and is provided at its upper front end with a cap 58 beneath which and in its bottom wall is formed a trap 60. The reservoir may convenientlyA comprise the commercial container in which the lacquer is supplied to the manufacturer. The liquid coating material in the reservoir 56 is indicated at 64. A hollow rod or tube 62 extends vertically inside the column 42 and into the reservoir 56 through the cap 5 8. The lower end of the rod 62 extends into the trap 60. The rod 62 fitsfreely with clearance through theY cap 58 and it will be seen that; when the pump is started, compressed air enters the chamber 34 and also the reservoir 56 between the sides of the cap 58 and the rod 62. When sufficient pres sure has been accumulated, the coating material or lacquer in the reservoir 56 will be forced'upwardly through the hollow rod 62, and on account of the trapped position of its lower end the reservoir may be nearly drained if desired.

Adjacent the pulley 26 and fast to the shaft 28 of the air pump is a small pulley 66 upon which runs a crossed belt 68 leading to a larger pulley secured to the end of ashaft 12 which is journalled in bearing brackets integral with the head 40. Also secured to the shaft 12 is a small gear I4 which meshes with a larger gear 16 secured to the end of a shaft 80 which is car-- ried by a forked bracket or yoke 18 pivotally mounted on the shaft 12. Pivoted to the frame I0 adjacent the gear 16 is aprojecting rod 82 which as shown in Fig. 5 carries a forked lever 84 backed up by a compression spring 86 surrounding the rod 82.. The fork of the lever 84 is arranged to engage a yoke 88 integral with the bracket 18, but the forked lever 84 may be disengaged from the yoke 88 and the bracket 'I8 lifted up and turned on its pivot. It will be understood that the bracket 'IB can be raised somewhat against the action of the spring 86 when the lever 84 is in engagement with the yoke 88. A transverse rod 90 is carried by the head 40 beneath the shaft |2 and on it a plate 92 is pivotally mounted. A set screw 93 bears on the surface of the head and may be adjusted to raise or lower the plate 92. The head 40 carries a lug 95 on which bears a set screw 98 threaded through the bracket T3, whereby the height of the bracket may be varied. A lug 9| on the plate 92 carries a pivotally mounted arcuate lever 94 which is curved rearwardly of the machine. At the outer end of the lever 94 is secured a chain 96 which passes do-wn inside the frame I0 to the end of a lever |82 which is secured to a horizontal shaft |0| journalled in the base of the machine and controlled by a pedal |00. A setv screw 98 carried in the bracket 'I8 bears on the inner end of the lever 94. When the pedal |00 is pushed forward, the chain 96 draws the lever 94 downwardly and elevates the bracket 18. The shaft carries at its end a toothed feed rc-ll |84 and it will now be apparent that the pedal |00 may be used to raise or lower the feed roll in presenting the work to the machine and that the adjustment of the set screws 93 and 98 further determines the initial position ofthe feed roll- |04.

Permanently associated with the upper end of the hollow rod 62 is a rectangular head and valve housing |20 which is provided in its bottom wall with a pair of recesses to fit the projecting heads of two screws |22 threaded into the top of the column 42. A gasket |24 effects a pressure tight joint between the head |20 and the column 42. Within the head |20 is a cylindrical valve |26 provided with a port |21 so that the flow of lacquer from the reservoir 56 may be regulated. Above the valve |26 the head |20 is shouldered and provided with a thin flat opening |28 which serves as a stationary nozzle. 'I'he shape of the nozzle can best be appreciated from an inspection of Fig. 10, and it will be seen that the` nozzle opening is L-shaped. A thin wear strip |30 is removably secured to the head |20 adjacent the nozzle opening and is recessed to register with the horizontal portion of the opening |28. The rear side of nozzle opening or orice |28 adjacent the strip |30 is slightly undercut. Another wear strip |3| is secured to the front of the head |28 and protrudes slightly beyond the flat vertical face in which the vertical section of the nozzle opening |28 isl located. The protruding portion o-f the wear strip |3| serves the purpose of forcing a sole being fed through the machine to ride outwardly or slightly spaced from the nozzle opening and allow lacquer to flow out the vertical section of the opening |28 to form a band along the edge of the sole. The soles are fed through the machine up-side-down and the reason for the undercut on the rear side of the wear strip |30 is to allow a flow of lacquer along the top of a sole as it is fed through the machine. Were it not for thel protruding wear strip |3| and the undercut on the wear strip |30, the soles as they pass through the machine would seal the nozzle aperture and impede the flow vof lacquer. A cap plate |32 is soldered or otherwise secured to the tcp of the head |20 after the nozzle aperture has been cut intol it.

A bracket |34 is secured to the bracket 18 and is provided at its outer end with a groove to receive a vertical strip |36, shown best in Figs. l1 and 12. The vertical strip |36 is provided with a slot in which works a set screw |38 which provides for vertical adjustment of the strip One edge of the strip |36 is recessed to fit around the feed roll shaft 80 and a portion of the strip |36 which extends lbelow the feed roll shaft 80 is held tightly against the flat vertical surface of the head |20 in `which is located the nozzle opening |28. The lower end f the strip |36 is provided on its inside surface with a recess |39 Vcoinciding with the urpper portion of the nozzle opening |28, and the bottom of the strip |36 on one side adjacent the recess |39 is slightly undercut as shown at |40. Thisl undercutting permits lacquer to flow on the bottom of a sole as it is fed upside down through the machine and prevents the sole from sealing off a portion of the nozzle opening. The location of the strip |36 is determined according to the thickness of the sole to be fed through the machine. However, it is most important to note that the'entire bracket 18 may be moved up and down against the action of the spring 86, and if a sole is of irregular thickness or provided with a tuck orreinforcing strip, which increases the thickness of the sole at certain points, the bracket 18 with the strip |36 will be forced u-pwardly as the thickness of the sole increases and the amount of vertical nozzle opening available is thereby increased without in any way effecting the flow of lacquer on the top and bottom of the sole.

The head |20 is recessed on its inside face to receive a wedge |44 which slides in the head 40, as shown in Fig. 4. A cap |46 threaded in the frame of the machine is provided with a permanent wrench |48 by means of which the cap can be raised to press against the lower outer end of the wedge |44 and press the inner end of the Wedge down on the lower surface of the recess in the head |20, thus securing the head |20 tightly to the gasket |24 on the column 42. y

A sole guide |50 is -pivotally mounted on the head and may be swung in Aand out of engagement with the front surface of the head |20 adjacent the nozzle opening |28. The sole guide is provided with a handle |5| by means of which its position may be v-aried. A vertical rod 53 having a handle |52 at its lower end is mounted for vertical movement in front of the column 4,2 outside of the wedge |44. Around the shank of the rod |53 is a compressionA spring |54 urging the rod and handle upwardly. At s upper end the rod |53 carries a disk |56 which has a fiattened portion. The rod and the disk act as a clamp to hold the sole guide |50 in closed position. When it is desired to swing the sole guide 50 out of engagement with the housing 20, the handle |52 is thrust downwardly thus releasing the engagement of the disk |56 with the face of the guide |50. It is necessary to make provision to have the guide |50 swung out of engagement with the housing,|20 when it is desired to apply lacquer around the entire edge Vof the insole; otherwise the sole guide |50 would,

when the operation had nearly been completed, scrape 'off the lacquer which was rst applied.

A rock shaft |58 is carried in the top of the column 42 and lines up with the inner endof the valve |26 to which it is joined by a tongue and groove joint. A spring |59 around the shaft |58 urges it into engagement with the valve |26.

On the inner end of the shaft |58 is secured a link |60 in the upper end of which a vertical rod |62 is pivotally mounted. The rod |62 carried a compression spring |64 tending to force the rod and the link upwardly and close the valve |26. At its lower end the rod |62 is secured to a chain |66 which is connected to the end of a rearwardly extending link |61 carried on the end of the shaft |02 which is controlled by the pedal |00.

Secured to the frame |0 is a fume proof switch box |68 provided with a .switch |10 and connected to a junction box |12 mounted at the rear of the machine, which carries the Wires leading to the motor. A shelf |14 is secured to the frame |0 andmay conveniently be filled with soles to be treated.

In the operation of the machine, the foot pedal |00 is pressed forwardly to lift the bracket 18 and the feed roll |04 so that an insole may be inserted beneath the feed roll `and adjacent the nozzle opening |28. The foot pedal |00 is then brought back to lower the feed roll |04 and to depress the chain |66 which through the rod |62 and the link |60 serves to open the valve |26. Lacquer is then extruded through the nozzle opening |28 and is formed as a band on the edge and margins of the insole as shovsm in Figs. 8 and 9. When the lacquering has been accomplished, the foot pedal is again pushed forward, the spring |64 causing the valve |26 to close, and the feed roll |04 is lifted to permit the insole to be taken out of the machine.

It will be apparent that the pressure maintained in the chamber 34 determines the rate of flow of the lacquer to the insole. If it is desired to speed up the operation of the machine, larger pulleys can be used and the'pressure stepped up by manipulating the valve 38 in the line leading from the pump to the chamber 34. Lacquer or other coating material `may be obtained from the manufacturer in different colors, supplied in cansl similar to the reservoir 56. The usual cover for the can may be replaced with the cap 58 as shown in Fig. 6. By swinging the insole guide |50 out of engagement with the head |20 and by removing the wedge |44 and lifting up the bracket 18 the entire head |20 together with the rod 62 may be removed from the machine. The importance of this feature will be seen when it is considered that the operator of the machine mas7 be ordered to run through soles coated with lacquers of different colors. When it is desired to change the color, the head |20 with the rod 62 may be removed and placed in a bath of solvent. the reservoir 56 may also be removed and replaced with a reservoir containing a lacquer of a different color. Inasmuch as it may take some time to vclean the head |20 and itsvassociated rod 62, I contemplate the provision of a plurality of head and rod assemblies some of which may be kept in the solvent bath so that when it is desired to change colors a clean head and rod will be available. The other parts of the machine shown in the drawings remain clean and do not become fouled with lacquer. 1

In conclusionit should be noted that I contemplate the use of flexible lacquer so that the band which is applied to the edge and margins of an insole will not crack when the sole is exed as the shoe is worn. However, the machine of my invention is not limited to the use of any particular coating material, since any change in viscosity may be compensated for by changing the amount Vof the pressure maintained in the chamber 34. Furthermore the machine of my invention is not limited to the treating of insoles or parts for shoes, since it may be used where any edge or margin is to be coated. A particularly valuable feature of the invention resides in the fact that the feed roll and the strip |36 ride up and down according to the changes in thickness of the material being run through the machine. the article to be coated is unlimited because there is nothing beyond the feed roll to act as an obstruction.

The flexible lacquer or other plastic binding Hmaterial will dry in about five minutes, at the 11 i end of which time the sole will have a band provided with a hard lustrous finish of pleasing appearance. Any flaws or cavities in the edge or margins of the sole will b-e completely filled in and concealed.

The' present application is filed as a division of my earlier application Ser. No. 295,629, filed September 19, 1939.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is,

l. In a coating machine having a reservoir for coating material, the combination of a nozzle located in fixed position and connected to the reservoir and having Ian orifice divided into vertical and horizontal sections, and a wear strip disposed in advance of the vertical section of the nozzle and protruding slightly therefrom to prevent an article being treated from sealing the vertical section of the orifice, the rear side of the nozzle adjacent the horizontal section of the orince being slightly undercut to prevent the article being treated from sealing off the horizontal section of the orifice.

2. A coating machine comprising a frame, a motor, an air pump driven by the motor, a pressure chamber secured to the frame, a reservoir for coating material disposed in the pressure chamber, a stationary nozzle connected to the reservoir, a pivotally mounted bracket disposed adjacent the nozzle, a shaft journalled in the bracket and driven by the motor, a feed roll carried by the shaft and arranged to direct a sole across the nozzle with its edge and an adjacent face slightly spaced from the nozzle orifice, a vertically adjustable strip mounted on the bracket and arranged to cover part of the orifice of the nozzle, and spring loaded means for keeping the feed roll and strip adjacent the nozzle, whereby the feed roll and strip can ride up and down according to variations in thickness of an article being treated, the strip exposing more of the nozzle orifice when the thicker part of an article reaches the nozzle than when a thinner part reaches the nozzle.

3. In a machine for coating the edges of soles, which includes a reservoir for containing fluid coating material, the combination of a stationary nozzle divided into vertical and horizontal sections, means for connecting the nozzle to the reservoir, a feed roll, a strip for closing part of the vertical nozzle section, and means mounting the feed roll and strip for vertical movement arranged to be operated by variations in the thickness ofthe soles passing under the feed roll to Furthermore the length and width of f;

regulate the extent of open vertical nozzle section.

4. In a machine forcoating the edges of soles,

the combination with a shouldered casing having, and a rotary feed wheel disposed with its periphery adjacent to the nozzle opening for feeding a sole with its edge and an adjacent marginal face in contact with said sole guide and guide plate;

5. Ina coating machine which comprises a reservoir for liquid coating material, and means for forcing the material from the reservoir, the combination of a stationary nozzle having an orifice divided into vertical and horizontal sections, means forconnecting the nozzle to the reservoir, means for feeding a sole past the nozzle orice with its edge and an adjacent marginal face slightly spaced therefrom, a support for the feeding means permitting variation in the position thereof to compensate for variation in the thickness of the sole being treated, and a movable sealing strip connected to the feed means and movable thereby to expose more or less of the vertical nozzle section.

6. In a coating machine having a reservoir, the combination of a stationary nozzle connected to the reservoir and provided with vertical and horizontal orifices, means including a spring pressed feed roll` disposed above the nozzle and arranged tolfeed a sole. past the orifices of the nozzle with its edge and adjacent marginal face spaced a slight predetermined distance therefrom, and a strip connected to the feed roll and extending down across the vertical orifice, wherevby when the thickness of the sole increases, the

strip and feed roll will ride upwardly to expose more of the vertical orifice.

'7. A machine for coating the edges and margins of sole pieces, which comprises a nozzle having .a horizontal opening and a vertical opening, a strip slidably mounted over said vertical opening, a feed roll disposed above said horizontal opening, means for supporting the feed roll for vertical movement, and means movable with the feed roll for moving the strip to regulate the extent of said vertical nozzle opening.

8. A machine for coating the edges of a sole piece, which comprises a nozzle having a vertical opening, a feed roll mounted for bodily movement above the nozzle and arranged to draw a soley piece past said opening, a spring urging said feed roll downwardly, means below the feed roll for supporting a sole piece, a strip disposed against said nozzle opening, and means for connecting said strip to the feed roll for movement therewith, whereby the feed roll will ride up as the thickness of the sole piece increases, carrying the strip with it and uncovering more of the nozzle opening, said strip in normal position leaving a portion of the vertical opening uncovered.

OSCAR HUGO OSBECK. 

